


The Trek

by eviltwin



Category: Tin Man (2007)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-02-03
Updated: 2009-02-03
Packaged: 2017-11-01 19:17:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/360311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eviltwin/pseuds/eviltwin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Summary of "The Trek":<br/>“He wasn’t sure what happened, but he knew the ramifications would be huge.”</p><p> </p><p>"Resolution" follows this story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Title:** The Trek [1/4]  
 **Author:** bets_cyn  
 **Pairing & Characters:** DG & Cain friendship, Az & Jeb friendship, occasional Raw, Glitch, Ahamo, and Lavender Eyes  
 **Rating:** PG-13 (swearing)  
 **Disclaimer:** don’t own, don’t make money off of. Do take enjoyment from, do want Cain’s duster  & gun.

 **Summary:** “He wasn’t sure what happened, but he knew the ramifications would be huge.”

A/N: thanks to my betas: [](http://pixie-on-acid.livejournal.com/profile)[**pixie_on_acid**](http://pixie-on-acid.livejournal.com/) , [](http://goodisrelative.livejournal.com/profile)[**goodisrelative**](http://goodisrelative.livejournal.com/) , and [](http://queenof1000days.livejournal.com/profile)[**queenof1000days**](http://queenof1000days.livejournal.com/)  
Any mistakes now are ones I blatantly ignored from the above three or my own. :-)

\+ + + + +

“Damn it, Cain!” DG swore as she entered her suite of rooms.

He shut the door behind him and stood stoically in front of it, waiting for her to explode.

She was redefining the perception of what a princess was. DG hadn’t taken to the role originally–too stuffy, too confining, too protected–too placated! She had wanted to do something to help rebuild the Outer Zone. Instead, she had found the word ‘no’ at every turn–at every suggestion.

Someone knocked on the door then and he braced himself for the scream. He watched her turn to face the door, open her mouth to yell—then he watched her demeanor completely change. She closed her mouth, her facial features softened, her back got straighter, and her eyes brightened.

He wasn’t sure what happened, but he knew the ramifications would be huge. When she asked him to let the person in, he did.

It was Raw—wanting to help DG. He looked at her with a little confusion in his eyes. “What happened?”

DG smiled but before she could answer there was another knock—Cain let Az & Glitch in. “DG, darling, you can-.” Az started and stopped halfway to her sister. “DG, what happened?”

DG chuckled. “One more.”

Cain let his son in next.

DG motioned everyone out onto the balcony. “You too, Cain. This is going to involve everyone one of us.”

 

Once they were mostly seated on her balcony, she started. “I’m not doing this anymore.”

Az looked startled. “What are you-?”

DG cut her off. “I’m not running away, Az, but neither am I accepting ‘no’ anymore. We–all of us–are going to start _doing_ something to help move the O.Z. forward.”

Turning to Glitch, she smiled at him softly. “Glitch, you are the smartest person in the O.Z. I _know_ you have ideas up there. I know you are afraid of misfiring synapses but I also know you are better than them.”

Glitched beamed with pride but she saw the fear he couldn’t met her expectations. “I’m not asking you to perform miracles, Glitch, I just want you to _try_. And Raw, here can help you: to stay focused, to provide support, and to be a sounding board for your ideas.”

Looking at Raw, she chuckled. “Raw, you can keep him calm and with that he can focus. You can keep him centered with your support. I’m not asking you to understand what he talks about, just to be there to listen to him.” Raw nodded and she turned back to Glitch. “Do you think you can do that, Glitch?”

“I can try, Prin-.”

“It’s DG,” she interrupted him.

Glitch smiled. “I’ll try, DG. What should I work on?”

DG smiled. “That is where Az and I come in.”

Cain looked up sharply—already knowing he wasn’t going to like this.

“Az and I are going to tour the O.Z. We’re going to talk with people.” She held up her hand to silence everyone. “In a moment, Cain and Cain, you can lodge your objections.” She didn’t need to look at them to know they were ready to argue this wasn’t a good idea.

Focusing on Az, DG continued. “We’ll talk to the people, find out the biggest problems and send them back for Glitch and Raw to work on. Yes, Az, you need to get out there. The people need to see you are not the witch–that she is gone and now you stand to help rebuild what she worked to destroy. They need to see you were just as much a prisoner as they were–and how broken you are and how you are working to heal yourself. Will it be hard? Of course. But nothing good is ever easy. Will people fear and resent you? Definitely, but we’ll bring them around.” DG smiled at her sister before she turned to the two Cains.

Wyatt and Jeb were standing by the balcony rail. She smiled at the sight the father and son pair made. They had their intimidating stares going and god! They looked so much like each other! She stood and walked to stand in front of them.

“I need you both to make this work. I know you are itching to get back out there, into the action.” When both opened their mouths to deny her words, she chuckled and raised a hand to wave their objections away. “It’s in your eyes, both of your eyes. I need you both to protect Az and I—to lead the teams—during this tour. I’m not foolish to think the threat is gone. Nor am I naive enough to think everyone will be accepting of either of us.”

She studied them for a moment before she continued. “I am not ordering you on this venture, but I will ask that if you chose not to go, you pick the teams that will go.”

Jeb looked to his father to start.

Cain studied the calmness in her eyes—and the determination. There was no out, no negative response or argument that would change her mind; he saw that in her stance, and he sighed. “There is no arguing with Jeb or I.”

“On matters of defense and security, okay.” DG agreed.

Cain allowed a brief upturn of the left side of his mouth at her qualification of his statement. “We take the next three weeks to plan where to go and the logistics.”

“Two weeks.” DG countered, her eyes steady on his.

“Two weeks from Sunday. The ball is tomorrow night.” Cain countered back.

“Okay, two weeks from Sunday is fine.” DG agreed.

“You tell your parents.” Cain laid out his last condition.

Everyone laughed.

“I will as long as I am in on the logistics planning and Jeb teaches Az to use a gun.” She turned to Glitch, “And you teach her some basics in ‘dancing’.”

Jeb looked to Az and shrugged. It was a smart move. Except she was broken.

“No. No guns.” Az spoke up, shaking her head, her hands waving around wildly, punctuating her words. “Self defense, fine, but _no guns_. I won’t!”

DG saw the fear in her sister’s eyes and nodded as she went over to her. She took her sister’s hands to calm her “Okay, Az. No guns.” Turning to look at Cain, “And you and I continue our aborted shooting lessons.”

When Cain was about to protest, she spoke up again. “Cain, we both know things never go as planned. I want to be prepared. As a last resort.”

Cain looked at Jeb, who gave a slight nod. Cain sighed, “Fine.”

“Thank you—all of you.” DG looked at each one of her friends.

“Do you really think they’ll just let us go?” Az asked softly.

DG smiled. “I know Jeb and Cain are praying they won’t. They will because I won’t take ‘no’ for an answer. If it gets hard for you, Jeb and one team can bring you back here.”

“But what shall I start with?” Glitch asked loudly.

DG chuckled. “Something to help the Papay’s trees grow again. And other things to grow better.” She thought for a moment. “And something the Tin Men can wear to help protect them as they clean up Central City. On the other side, we had kevlar to protect our police and soldiers. It didn’t stop every bullet but it helped save lives. It was light and mobile so they can still move easily.” She knew her two friends would want action again and she wanted them protected. As much as they could be.

 

 

 

Cain caught her Saturday afternoon, hours before the ball. He studied her quietly. And for the first time, her large, luminous eyes held nothing he could read. Her gaze was steady on his. Her stance was sure for the first time since the defeat of the witch, outside of the times she was dealing with Glitch or Az. Gone were the hesitancy, frustration, and desperation that had taken up residence in her eyes as she felt more and more trapped and useless.

 

 

 

Ahamo noticed the steadiness in his youngest at the ball. She laughed with her friends, danced with strangers without a glance toward Glitch or Cain. He was proud of her and was relieved she seemed to take at least an understanding of what she was expected to do to heart.

Lavender Eyes studied her youngest daughter in her ball gown and wondered where the confidence and acceptance had come from. Turning to her oldest, she was surprised to see a new level of confidence as well. Her eyes narrowed for a split second–mother’s intuition told her something was up. And she probably wasn’t going to like it when they came to talk with her about it.

 

 

 

DG waited until Sunday afternoon to inform her parents–she hadn’t wanted to add more to their plates when they were worrying about the ball. She met them on their ground, in their sitting room and she went alone. Only Cain knew she was telling them as he was outside their door.

When Ahamo started the first objection, DG continued without missing a beat, adding in a counter to the objection she knew he was about to voice.

Ahamo was furious by the end of DG’s explanation of what she and Az were about to do. Lavender Eyes just sat there, her eyes unreadable.

“No way are we sending you and Az out there. I don’t care who is protecting you!” Ahamo declared.

DG turned a smile on him and he could not help but step back. He had never seen such cold calmness in anyone except a Longcoat or two.

“Father, we are going. You and Mother know the protocol and the royalty and the dignitaries. You can handle that, strengthen the O.Z. alliances. Az and I would only be in the way here. The people need to be reassured—they need to see Az for who she is now. They need to see how broken she is and how she is taking steps to heal herself. Royalty will only see that as a weakness.” DG stayed with logic.

Ahamo turned to his wife. “You cannot consider this. We just got both of them back!”

The Queen sighed. “You said yourself they were disappearing here under the rules and protocol—that they needed out of the scrutiny the palace bred. You even noticed their steadiness last night at the ball, dear.”

Ahamo looked from his wife to his youngest daughter. “Cain senior and younger are going with you. As are Glitch and Raw.”

“No. Az, Jeb, Cain, and I are going but Glitch and Raw are staying here. Glitch needs to see that no matter what happens with his brain, he is smarter than all of the O.Z. He has some projects to work on. Raw will focus and steady him.” DG corrected his assumption.

Ahamo sighed. He knew an immovable wall when he hit one. “You promise me you’ll stay safe? And look after your sister?”

“We’ll all be cognizant of danger and I’ll keep an eye on Az. If she needs to return, Jeb and one team will bring her home.” DG agreed.

The Queen stood and walked to her daughter. “DG, you walk a dangerous road. Do not forget why you walk it. I cannot deny it is a smart idea, but nor can I deny I do not want you to go. I see, though, you will leave with or without our consent.” She sighed and walked over to the window. “I know how you feel: you want to do something. You will learn one day that doing nothing is, at times, doing something. Patience is key, just as knowing when to act is.” Turning back to look at her daughter, Lavender Eyes offered her a tight smile. “Be safe. Listen to Cain. And take care.”

DG moved to hug her mother. “I will. Don’t worry too much. We’ll stay in contact,” she promised. Turning to her father, she sought his blessing as well.

Ahamo sighed. He knew when he was defeated. “Cain and I are going to have a talk.” Then he opened his arms and DG went into them.

 

“Cain, they would like to speak with you.” DG told him as she walked out of their room.

He sighed. He had known this was coming. “Wait here for me.”

DG went to object but closed her mouth before the words came out—she had promised to listen to him on matters of security and defense. She nodded and put her back to the wall, mimicking his own vigilant stance.

Cain rolled his eyes with a slight smile; he knew she was not mocking him but it came close!

 

 

DG used the time—and the rare silence—to think about her secondary project for this trek across the O.Z. She was afraid she would hurt him if he knew. And that was her current dilemma: should she tell Cain about her secondary project? His eyes still flinched at the words ‘tin suit’. And when she caught the far away, haunted look in his eyes, she knew his mind was back in that damned tin suit. Most forgot all of them were broken; it was just Glitch and Az who showed it more.

Hearing movement to her left, she smiled when she saw Jeb round the corner. Hoping her father would take longer with Cain, she made a decision.

“Jeb, can I have a word with you?” DG stopped him.

“Where’s Wyatt?” Jeb was surprised to see the prin... DG, he still had to get used to that! “Of course, DG.”

DG smiled. He still choked a little on the name but he was improving. “Cain’s getting the parental riot act about the trek.” Eyeing the door, she sighed. “I have a favor to ask you for this trek.”

Jeb’s eyes narrowed. “Maybe you should ask...”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “A small team within your team who can be spared as we come close to some known locations.”

**Title:** The Trek [2/4]  
 **Author:** bets_cyn  
 **Pairing & Characters:** DG & Cain friendship, Az & Jeb friendship, occasional Raw, Glitch, Ahamo, and Lavender Eyes  
 **Rating:** PG-13 (swearing)  
 **Disclaimer:** don’t own, don’t make money off of. Do take enjoyment from, do want Cain’s duster  & gun.

**Summary:** “A small team within your team who can be spared as we come close to some known locations.”

[Part 1](http://bets-cyn.livejournal.com/96549.html)

“I can’t ask your father. It is about tin suits.” DG cut him off. “Cain is still haunted by them and I do not want to add to that pain.” She sighed. “I want to find them all, bring them here, melt them down, and use the metal for something happy.”

Jeb’s eyes flashed his surprise. “What do you need from me?”

 

“A small team within your team who can be spared as we come close to some known locations.” DG stated, eyeing the door. “I want them to return the suits here. To Glitch.”

Jeb nodded. “I can do that—they’ll be the ones who send dispatches back and forth—we’ll plan dispatch locations near suit locations.”

“And I want info collected—exact location, was someone in it, condition of suit, etcetera—when they find it. If someone is in it, who they are and, if they can remember, _why_ they are in the suit.” She frowened, thinking. “Wait. What if someone put a bad guy in one, like we did to Zero for that time?”

“Send them back to the castle for a two-week monitoring program. Have Raw and Glitch head it.” Jeb suggested: someone was nearing the door.

“Can you come by before lunch tomorrow?” DG asked, eyeing the door. She heard the person near the door as well.

Jeb nodded.

 

“DG–hey, Jeb. Did you need something?” Cain asked as he stepped out of the doorway.

“No worse for wear I see, Cain.” DG drolled, a smile lighting her eyes.

“I wanted to see how approval went.” Jeb stated.

DG frowned, then eyed the father-son duo carefully. “What deals have you brokered?”

Cain’s eyes brightened with his surprise. “We brokered no deals behind your back, DG. I made a decision on security and Jeb agreed with it.”

DG took a deep breath and closed her eyes. _Running or screaming would do no good_ , she reminded herself.

Cain studied her—he could see the effort she took to reign in her reactions—and had to admit it looked foreign on her. It was her unchecked initial reactions that had freed him and he hated to rob her of that.

“Explain the decision.” DG stated flatly. It wasn’t an order; that would have required emotion and force and there was none of either behind her softly spoken words.

“I decided we shouldn’t have a lot of fanfare leaving the castle. In fact, it should look like sets of troops heading out and everyone finds out you and your sister are out of the castle after we’ve gone.” Cain tried to make sense of her behavior. He wasn’t used to being unable to read her feelings. He could see she was disappointed in him again, like when he hadn’t immediately freed Raw, but he couldn’t see what he had done wrong this time. Security was his job. “We even haven’t started logistics planning yet,” he added.

DG offered a small smile and nodded, she had only asked to be included in logistics planning. She had hoped he’d trust her enough to include her in security planning as well. “Sounds like a great plan. I promised I’d help Raw and Glitch set up Glitch’s lab this afternoon.”

Cain nodded and they headed down to where Glitch’s lab was; Jeb falling in step with his father so they could chat more about the plan.

Cain eyed DG every once in a while, concerned she was so quiet on the walk down.

Once she was in with her friends and the two Cains started upstairs to the older Cain’s office, Jeb asked, “What’s wrong, Dad?”

“She was quiet.” Cain shrugged.

“She was disappointed you didn’t trust her with your security planning.” Jeb told him.

“It’s my job. She needs to trust...”

“No, Dad. I didn’t say she didn’t trust you. I said she was _disappointed_ you didn’t talk your security decision through with her. Involve her in it.” Jeb cut him off.

“But... she asked to be included in logistics.” Cain stuttered.

Jeb smiled. “You, Glitch, Raw, and DG relied on each other for intense, dangerous actions—just because those are over doesn’t mean she will let go of that bond.”

Cain nodded. He knew she trusted him. And valued his opinion. It just wasn’t something he was used to: having others to talk with, plan with, and get opinions from. He hadn’t had a partner he could trust at the end of his Tin Man days. “I’ll talk with her tonight.” He made the decision and then they sat down to look over areas DG had already mentioned she wanted to visit.

 

 

 

“DG, can we talk?” Cain asked softly as they came to her room late that night.

DG offered a small smile and held the door for him.

“I’m not...”

DG held up her hand to stop his words. “You don’t have to explain, Wyatt. I know there will be decisions you make without me about my safety on this trek. I understand and accept that.” She looked into his eyes before she continued, “I know it has nothing to do with not trusting me.”

Cain nodded. “I haven’t had someone to trust and plan with in a very longtime, DG. When I was a resistance fighter and a Tin Man, I knew anyone could—and did—turn on me. I also know that you won’t.”

DG swallowed and offered him a bright smile. She knew she should tell him right then about her secondary plan but she made the mistake of looking into his eyes.

Cain startled when he felt a hand on his arm. Looking at DG, he asked, “What?”

DG sighed. “You were back in that damned suit again.”

Cain blinked at the violence in her voice. “The memories, yes.”

“I worry when you go back there.” DG sighed and moved her hand off his arm to squeeze his hand as she looked up into his eyes. “I’m afraid one day you’re going to get stuck in those memories.” To lighten the mood, she added, “And then who will think of my safety? Certainly not me!” She offered him a smile then quickly turned her face away; she didn’t want him to see it didn’t reach her eyes.

Cain chucked. “Ain’t that the truth!” He sighed. “It’s going to take time. I’ll be fine”

DG rolled her eyes and looked back at him. “Sure. Eventually, we all will be fine. Or dead!”

“It’s odd seeing you hold your reactions in check.” Cain stated quietly.

DG chuckled. “Try feeling myself do it! But I see the value in it. Occasionally anyway. I’m not saying I’ll do it often, but sometimes it has merit. I couldn’t turn if off anyway: it’s a part of me, of who I am.”

“Without that part of you, none of us would be here—especially me.” Cain shook his head. “I still can’t believe you charged in with only a _stick_!”

DG smiled. “I do believe this is our longest conversation without one of us yelling or storming off.”

“Good night, princess.” Cain ducked out of her room, a growl following him. At least she hadn’t thrown anything at him!

 

 

DG stood on her balcony looking up at the stars. She couldn’t sleep: too much on her mind and weighing on her heart.

 

 

 

DG smiled over at Jeb. “Thank you for doing this.”

Jeb nodded. “I won’t lie to him if he asks.”

She nodded. “I know and I don’t want you to. Just direct him to me and I’ll handle it, rather I’ll _tell_ him about my secondary project.” They had gone over maps, looking at good dispatch locations compared to her map of Tin Suit locations.

“You can’t be sure these are all of them,” Jeb stated, looking at the map of the forty-eight Tin Suits.

“I know, but it’s a good start.” DG responded.

Jeb looked up at her. “What are you planning to do with the metal?”

“I’m thinking of a public playground for children in Central City. Something _good_ needs to come from them.” DG told him. “I’m still working on it. By the time we end this trek, I’ll know.”

Jeb nodded. “The playground will be a great memorial.”

DG smiled. “Yup.” She wasn’t ready to tell anyone the other part of her ‘memorial park’ idea. She stood up. “Guess we’d better get to the knife throwing.”

Jeb looked startled. “ _What_?!”

DG laughed. “It’s the cover story I told Cain and the rest. You were giving me a lesson in knife throwing.” She pulled out a knife she’d had Glitch make a week ago—a throwing blade she’d seen on the other side. She had remembered it awhile back and thought it would be a great weapon to carry; she’d need a few more made eventually.

Jeb eyed the blade she balanced—she was serious. He sighed. No wonder they had met in this large, empty room and there were pillows stacked on the other side of the room. He was beginning to understand what his father went through daily. “Let’s see your motion.”

DG turned toward the pillows, took a step and let the knife fly. The blade sliced through the top left corner of the top pillow.

Jeb nodded. “Not bad but you are crossing your body at the end of the throw. You need to keep your arm straight all the way through the throw.” He handed her one of the smaller knives he carried. “Try this one.”

DG concentrated on keeping her arm straight for the throw—and hit the center of the top pillow.

“Better.” Jeb told her and handed her another knife and had her try from five steps back.

 

 

 

Eventually, the logistics were planned and Jeb and Cain turned to security planning and choosing who would come on the trek. Az and DG worked on packing; with DG cutting Az’s stuff in half, deeming some things unnecessary. Az moaned and pouted but was secretly glad all the formal stuff was pulled out in favor of more practical traveling clothes.

 

 

 

Cain eyed the two wagons of supplies and smiled—DG could pack! She’d put her stuff and half the provisions in one wagon and Az’s stuff with the other half of the supplies in the other wagon so they could stick to their plan of looking like two groups of soldiers heading out instead of a royal caravan.

“Not bad, DG: not a bad job packing.” Cain told her.

“Try packing two weeks worth of food and clothes in one backpack—a small one.” DG stated.

“Are you sure Az is up to this?” Cain asked softly, looking over at the older princess.

DG turned to look at her sister. “No, I’m not, Cain, but I do know she can’t stay here. It’s been a year, you said yourself a lot of the disbelievers and renegades have been dealt with. Is she going to handle the public’s reaction badly? Yeah, at first. In the end, I think, it will give her the strength to seek help and motivate her to prove to them and herself it wasn’t her—only the witch—all those years of terror.” Looking back at Cain, she sighed. “Besides, the castle is not conducive to healing.”

Cain nodded. He saw the worry in her eyes and not for the first time, wondered if the younger princess was taking on more than she could handle. “Why Jeb?” And his eyes moved over to his son.

DG chuckled, watching the former Tin Man watch his son. “Because you need time to get to know him—to see who he is now and be proud of what you inspired. And, aside from you, Glitch, and Raw, he is the only one I trust with Az.” Turning to watch Jeb with his men, she smiled. “Besides, helping Az will help him through his own troubles,” she added on a whisper before she moved to her horse.

Cain startled and turned to watch the princess mount her horse. “What are you getting at, DG?”

DG looked down at him. “He has trust issues and abandonment issues. And a hero-complex: he feels he needs to fix things. Az won’t let that happen. She might be uncertain about how to handle herself and how others will react, but she knows she has to rely on herself to heal herself. Oh, she’ll take his help but he can’t do it for her.”

Cain was seeing DG in a whole new light. “You are manipulator.”

“No. A _catalyst_. I give them opportunities: it’s up to them to take it. Just as any good leader does: offers positions so their people succeed and showcase their abilities and challenge them.” DG smiled.

Cain studied her for a moment before he turned away. He wasn’t sure if he was ready for this side of DG.

 

 

“Cain looks confused,” Az stated as she rode beside DG the next day.

DG nodded. “He doesn’t know what to make of my seriousness.” She sighed, “And he’s worried how you are going to react at the village tomorrow. And he’s unsure of my reason for bringing Jeb.”

“You brought Jeb to protect me,” Az stated.

DG smiled. “And to get him over some of his issues and so Cain can get to know the man he inspired Jeb to be.”

Az eyed her sister. “You expect _me_ to help Jeb?” She laughed, “How?”

DG looked over at her sister. “You know he can’t fix you for you—that you have to do it yourself. He can offer support, but it’s up to you. He’s got a hero complex. He wants to fix things; it’s why he’s a leader so young. You, Az, are going to show him he can’t always fix something just because he wants to.”

Az blinked. “You planned a lot for this trek.”

DG shrugged. “That’s better than Cain’s word. He called me a manipulator. I tend to think of it as being a catalyst: giving you both opportunities to help each other and yourselves. I’m not going to push you into anything but I can help open doors to ways you can’t see.”

Az nodded. “So what are you doing for Cain?”

DG smiled. “Hopefully keeping him too busy to think about that damned tin suit he still disappears into!”


	3. The Trek [3/4]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “He won’t ask, Jeb. Not now at least. He’ll wait until it happens again.”

**Title:** The Trek [3/4]  
 **Author:** bets_cyn  
 **Pairing & Characters:** DG & Cain friendship, Az & Jeb friendship, occasional Raw, Glitch, Ahamo, and Lavender Eyes  
 **Rating:** PG-13 (swearing)  
 **Disclaimer:** don’t own, don’t make money off of. Do take enjoyment from, do want Cain’s duster  & gun.

**Summary:** “He won’t ask, Jeb. Not now at least. He’ll wait until it happens again.”

[Part 1](http://bets-cyn.livejournal.com/96549.html)   
[Part 2](http://bets-cyn.livejournal.com/96915.html)

“So, you think I have a hero complex.” Jeb cornered her as she helped prepare dinner.

DG pinned him with a glare. “Do you want to get hurt?”

It was then that he noticed the revolver in her hand and pointed at him. His eyes went up to hers, surprised.

DG rolled her eyes, released the hammer gently, and put it away. “People need to announce themselves instead of slinking around in the woods behind someone!” she growled.

Jeb nodded. “Won’t make that mistake again, DG. Now, back to this hero complex I have.”

DG chuckled. “Let’s think on this. Exhibit A: first person to take off after lost horse? You. Exhibit B: only person to help Az onto her horse every day? You. Exhibit C: only person allowed to scout possible hostile territory? You. Need I continue?”

Jeb had the grace to look down.

“Jeb, it’s not a bad thing but you have to have it your way—despite everyone else and that is the problem. You can’t do it all yourself, nor can you fix everything. You are still trying to prove yourself to a man you idolized—and you forget he’s right over there and proud of you. Also, I put you in charge of Az’s _security_ , not Az.” DG put her hand on his arm, tempering her earlier words. “We _all_ have adjustments to make, Jeb. This trek is for all of us to realize that and to help us let go of the past.”

“Even you?”

DG laughed heartily. “I’m so glad I have you all fooled with this altruistic bent! This trek _is_ for me. It was my way of escaping the castle and my new parents. Hell! My new life! I still need to come to terms with all of this and it hasn’t happened at the castle with everyone watching.”

Jeb studied her with new understanding in his eyes. He smiled. “Yeah, I guess we tend to forget all of us have scars we need to deal with. We focus on Glitch and Az because they are the most visibly broken.”

DG smiled back and nodded her head. “Exactly. Never doubt I’m not selfish, Jeb. I just can hide it in well-meaning misdirection.”

Jeb blinked and her revolver was out again.

DG swore. “If the two of you insist on slinking about, I’m just going to shoot you both now and get it over with!”

Cain froze and looked down at her hands before he exploded. “Who the hell gave you a revolver?!”

Jeb looked down at DG. “He didn’t give it to you?” He _had_ to stop making assumptions about her!

DG laughed harshly. “Do you really think your father would agree to that? You are hilarious, Jeb. And, Cain, it doesn’t matter where I got it. You said I was a good shot.” She turned to face Cain and saw Jeb step away out of the corner of her eye. “You _really_ want to argue about this, Cain?”

That was his hint he should just let the topic go. But when did a man ever take a woman’s subtle hint to stop?

“I thought I was in charge of your security. You don’t trust me with that anymore?” Can asked. His voice was quiet but packed with fury.

DG’s face fell.

Cain saw the tears glisten in her eyes and swallowed hard. _Damn women and their tears!_ How was he supposed to argue with her now?

DG blinked back her tears and grabbed on to the anger before she saw the fear in Cain’s eyes. “I got the gun from Popsicle. If I didn’t trust you with my security, Cain, I wouldn’t have let you come on this trek. _You_ said I was a good shot. _You_ said I handled the revolver well. If you hadn’t, I wouldn’t have brought it. We both know plans don’t go accordingly. We both know I have a tendency to get separated from the group. I thought having some protection on me would be a good thing.” She shook her head and muttered, “At least I know where Jeb gets it!”

“Jeb gets what?” Cain asked, grasping at anything to change the topic.

“This hero complex!” DG stated, her annoyance flaring again.

Cain rolled his eyes. “So protecting you is having a hero complex now?”

DG growled. “ _No!_ But not trusting me to think and do for myself is! I can be vigilant. I can do things for myself, Cain. There’s a difference between protecting or watching out for me and doing everything for me.” She sighed. “Cain, I know this is a delicate balance of talking to the general public and protecting me, but I need to know that you are going to let them talk to me.”

“Five-.”

“Within handshake distance, Cain. And no intimidating them with your death glare.” DG interrupted him.

Cain allowed a small smile. “Only stern looks.”

“I can live with that.” DG chuckled. Turning serious, she added, “I know I’m not easy on your protection detail, Cain, but I don’t always intend to be a pain in the ass.”

Cain nodded. “I know.”

“But it is fun being the pain in your ass most of the time!” DG added over her shoulder as she headed to where Az was.

Cain chuckled and didn’t bother throwing words back at her: he recognized a waste of breath when he saw one.

 

 

“You need to keep up your ‘dancing’ lessons, Az,” DG declared. “The less you use it now, the more you forget. We’ll talk with the two Cains tomorrow morning about scheduling evening time for you and I to practice.”

Az nodded. “I’m not ready for tomorrow.”

DG sat beside her sister and took one of her hands in her own. “I know, but, be honest, if we waited, would you be ready then?”

Az sighed and continued to stare into the fire. “No,” she whispered.

“Will you try tomorrow? If it’s too much, Jeb and team will take you back to camp.” DG asked.

Az nodded slowly. “For you, DG.”

DG shook her head. “No, it has to be for _you_ or it won’t work. It can be because I asked but it has to be for you: a step in your healing and forgiving yourself.”

Az smiled at her younger sister. “When did you get so wise?”

DG let her smile fall and turned to look into the fire.

Az squeezed her sister’s hand. “DG?”

Looking over at Az, DG forced a smile. “When a friend on the outside got broken.” It wasn’t a time she liked to recall: it had taken her friend’s life.

 

 

Cain swallowed hard at her words. She was always so sunny and optimistic, so _positive_ , he never gave a thought that she’d seen bad things when she was growing up away from the hell the OZ turned into. Hell, to be honest, he never gave her life on the outside a thought aside from the occasional references he didn’t understand.

 

Cain reined in beside DG the next morning on their way to the first village. “Why don’t you talk about your life on the outside?”

DG smiled. “Because it was mostly happy and I enjoyed it and you wouldn’t get three quarters of the references, Cain.”

“So? You shouldn’t have to hide it: it’s a part of who you are, DG. Of what makes you who you are.”

DG nodded. “Have Jeb ready to take Az away after two hours.”

Cain looked over at her. “I thought it was up to Az.”

“There is no sense her killing herself the first day,” DG stated softly then urged her horse up to meet her sister.

 

 

To say the immediate reaction was bad was a gross understatement. It took DG over two hours to quiet the yelling. It took another hour for her to get through her twenty-minute explanation. By then, Az was so frazzled, she couldn’t utter a word so DG sent her away while she stayed another three hours– of which she heard civil talk for only the last one. The point was, though, that she _had_ heard civil talk. It was a start.

 

Az, Jeb, Cain, and the men looked at DG in a new light as she helped with dinner that night. She had stuck it out. It showed her inner strength and also that she was committed to the OZ– an outsider was committed to the OZ. Maybe she really was staying after all.

 

Cain took her finished dinner plate out of her hands as she stood. “Go rest, DG.”

“But-.”

“I think we can handle the dishes without you tonight. Jeb will work with Az on her ‘dancing’, but you need to rest.” Cain told her.

DG looked up at him, her eyes large but her exhaustion couldn’t be hidden by the light in them. “Are you sure? I don’t...”

Cain chuckled. “You aren’t flinching on duty, DG. Rest. You are going to need it tomorrow.”

 

 

 

They were at their third village when they got to their first tin suit location. If Cain thought it suspicious that DG spoke with Jeb for over an hour, he didn’t talk to her about it. Instead, he filed it away for future reference to see if it happened again.

“There was no one in this one, DG.” Jeb filled her in. “They are headed back with the suit and the messages to the Queen and the rest.” He eyed his father.

“He won’t ask, Jeb. Not now at least. He’ll wait until it happens again.” DG followed his gaze to his father.

 

 

Three months in and everyone was tired of the road. No one, though, could deny the good it was doing to restore hope in the OZ and faith in the royal family. The Queen sent words of how the people would talk of the frailty of Az and the strength of DG. They were divided on the truth of Az’s torture and captivity, but most admitted they couldn’t believe the haunted pain and guilt in the princess’ eyes.

And in the three months, 38 of the 48 tin suits had been found and sent back to Glitch and Raw. DG knew that 23 of the suits had had people in them. Most were former Tin Men and Resistance Fighters, however, Raw sent word that four were Longcoats and he was trying to rehabilitate them in to the new society. The rehabilitation process was going well for three of them, the last was defiant.

During that time, DG made it a point to wait days after they sent the suits back to talk with Jeb. She couldn’t tell if Cain was purposely ignoring their talks or waiting until she would tell him about them. Either way, she hadn’t talked with him about the covert plans. And she was still no closer to coming up with her final plan for the suits. Oh, she knew Glitch was creating a playground in the heart of Central City as a memorial and a reminder. But she felt there needed to be something else, a stronger reminder of the hell of that prison.

 

 

 

It was exactly three months and two weeks into the trek that DG stumbled onto an unmapped Tin Suit. It hadn’t been planned, she hadn’t thought they were near any. By her map and calculations they should have been a day’s ride from any suits.

She watched Cain freeze. She sighed, went up to it and opened it. She wasn’t going to let someone stay in it.

Jeb waited for DG’s actions. He wasn’t going to let onto the plan now if she wasn’t. They’d come back for the suit later, when the team had picked up the other one close to here. No sense in alerting his father to what they were doing without his knowledge.

DG sighed when she found someone in the suit and Cain pulled her back from the man. She saw the tension in Cain. She knew he recognized the man in the suit. “Who is he, Cain?”

Cain startled at the sound of her voice. “What?” He asked, his eyes still stuck on the man in the Tin Suit.

“Who is the man in the Tin Suit, Cain?” DG asked her question again.

Cain tore his gaze away from the suit and focused on DG’s face. “A Longcoat by necessity.”

DG sighed. “He comes with us.”

“It isn’t safe.” Cain stated.

DG turned from Cain to look at Jeb. “He comes with us under guard until the next one. It should only be a day away. Then the two suits and, if there is another in the suit, the two men return to the Palace.”

Cain stared at DG. What was she talking about? Another Tin Suit was a day away? How did she know this?

Jeb nodded, not looking at his father. “I’ll make arrangements, princess.” He kept his voice neutral, as if he was just following orders.

Cain turned to his son and found the man wouldn’t meet his eyes. He lost it then. “What the hell has been going on behind my back?”

DG jumped at the fury in his words. She had been prepared for his anger, or so she had thought. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and let it out before opening her eyes and facing Cain. She was trying to steady her nerves and gather her strength. It took all of her courage to meet his eyes as she spoke. “I made a decision when I found a map of Tin Suits. I wanted them purged from the OZ. I wanted them purged from memory, damnit!” She swore. Calming herself, she continued, “But I couldn’t let people forget that this terrible injustice happened either. I didn’t want others in them any longer than necessary.” She noted his anger, if anything, seemed to grow with her words. She turned away and sighed. Her next words were whisper soft, “I knew you wouldn’t understand. You still get trapped in the damn suit.”


	4. The Trek [4/4]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “He will need an ally to deal with this, Jeb. He will need you to get over this; he can’t lose us both.”

**Title:** The Trek [4/4]  
 **Author:** bets_cyn  
 **Pairing & Characters:** DG & Cain friendship, Az & Jeb friendship, occasional Raw, Glitch, Ahamo, and Lavender Eyes  
 **Rating:** PG-13 (swearing)  
 **Disclaimer:** don’t own, don’t make money off of. Do take enjoyment from, do want Cain’s duster  & gun.

**Summary:** “He will need an ally to deal with this, Jeb. He will need you to get over this; he can’t lose us both.”

[Part 1](http://bets-cyn.livejournal.com/96549.html)   
[Part 2](http://bets-cyn.livejournal.com/96915.html)   
[Part 3](http://bets-cyn.livejournal.com/97277.html)

 

Facing him again, she found the strength to continue. “I have been sending the people and the Tin Suits we come upon from the map back to the Palace. Glitch is using the metal from them to build a playground for the children of Central City. I want the hell to be overwritten by happiness. And I want people to never forget the horrors people inflict on others. I want people to remember what we are capable of so it never happens again.”

Cain swore. “Nothing good can ever come from those abominations, princess!” He couldn’t believe she had gone behind his back about this. And involved his son in this! “I cannot believe you manufactured this trip to do this. You manipulated everyone for your own agenda. And you involved my son in this trickery!”

DG flinched and stopped Jeb’s defense. “He was under no orders to lie to you. I just asked that he not tell you unless you asked. You won’t even say the word ‘tin’, Cain, without flinching. You spend half your day thinking about that damned Tin Suit.” Her words were a whisper yet hard.

“You ordered him not to tell me?!” He couldn’t believe she would do this to him. “I thought you were different.”

DG blinked back her tears. “I asked him not to. I did not order him not to tell you. Believe as you will, Cain, but I know I’m doing right.”

Cain glared and stalked away.

Jeb put a hand on her shoulder. “I could have...”

DG cut him off. “He will need an ally to deal with this, Jeb. He will need you to get over this; he can’t lose us both.”

“But he may not forgive you for this.” Jeb stated. He knew that would hurt her more than his father’s anger.

DG offered a tight smile. “I knew that going into this, Jeb, and it is something I shall have to learn to live with.”

 

 

A week and a half of silence from Cain and DG was exhausted. She called Cain and Jeb to her that night and told him they would be heading back to the Palace the next day.

“We need a day to plan.” Cain spat.

DG waved her hand. “Do as you need to. We can stay here until you all work out the details.”

“Why can’t we finish out the rest of the week as we had planned? It’s three days.” Cain was harsh. He missed the exhaustion in her eyes and the grimace as she shifted her weight.

DG sighed. “Fine.” She turned from them and sucked in a breath. The fall off her horse a week ago had damaged her ribs more than she was telling others and her left ankle was swollen still. She knew she needed to get off of it but she wasn’t about to tell Cain.

Az noted the utter exhaustion in her younger sister’s eyes and she caught the stiffness in her walk and she moved away from Cain. Coming alongside DG, she asked, “Are we headed home?”

DG shook her head. “We only have two more villages and three days. We’ll finish it out.”

Az blinked. “But you are exhausted. And pale.”

“Let it go, Az.” DG whispered. “Can you handle dishes tonight?”

Az nodded. “Of course. You rest.” She escorted DG to their tent, helped her settle in, then went to find Jeb.

 

“Jeb, she needs to get home now, not in three days.” Az stated. “She’s exhausted, pale, and in pain. That fall off her horse hurt her more than she is letting on.”

Jeb’s head snapped up. “What do you mean hurt? I thought she said she was fine.”

“She’s stiff when she walks. I’ve seen her cringe once or twice lately as she takes a step. She’s constantly got a headache,” Az stated.

Jeb sighed. “He’s not watching her. He’s just looking out for her.” They both knew who he was talking about. “All right, I’ll talk with him and say you need to return home. Maybe he’ll listen to me.”

 

“That is perfect, Jeb. You start off early with Az and we’ll head on to the last villages.” Cain thought it was brilliant. “It will be safer to split up now.”

Jeb blinked. He started to object but his father just kept going.

“You, Jeb, can take this route,” and Cain traced a route with his finger on the map. “And we’ll take this one.” He traced another route away from the first one.

“Dad, we can just all turn around now.” Jeb stated.

“Those last two villages are looking forward to meeting the Princesses.” Cain stated. “Besides, the men noted followers last night.”

Jeb swore. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Cain just glared at his son.

 

 

DG waved her sister off the next morning. She looked at her horse and sighed. It was getting harder and harder to get up on her mount without others seeing her pain.

 

It was one of the guards, Kolman, who called a halt four hours into the village meeting. “I’m sorry, folks, but almost four months on the road is taking its toll on the princess. She needs to rest for a while.”

DG smiled at the crowd. “I’ll rest for a few hours and return so the rest of you may speak.”

Cain studied DG and noted her pallor and her exhaustion for the first time. He swore. “Folks, I think it is time that Princess DG started back to the-.”

DG’s eyes hardened. “I’ll be back in three hours time to talk with the rest of you.” There was no room for argument in her voice. She turned her eyes to Cain as if to say you started this, I’m finishing it.

Cain blinked at the open hostility in her eyes. He had never seen that aimed at him before.

 

 

Back at camp, Cain caught her arm before she could walk away from him. She couldn’t muffle her groan of pain as he pulled her weight onto her bad ankle and jarred her ribs.

He studied her frame and noted she was favoring her right ankle and was keeping her arms hugging her ribs despite his grip on her upper right arm. “Why didn’t you say something?!” He growled and muttered something about foolish girls under his breath as he let her go and turned to the men. “Prepare the wagon for a passenger. Princess DG will be riding in it as we return home tomorrow.”

DG glared at him. “Now you decide it is okay to return home?!” She was yelling and she knew it but she couldn’t stop the words. “I ask you to start back and I’m shirking duty. You finally notice something is wrong and then it is okay?! I don’t _think_ so!”

Cain flinched at her words. He hadn’t been paying enough attention to her, he knew that, but he was pissed off at her still. She had used him, and his son, for her own ends.

“Did it occur to you that the reason I asked to start back three days early was because I was injured? Do you think I was just ditching the last couple villages on a whim?” DG continued yelling at him.

The men didn’t know what to make of the argument. They knew Cain was upset with the Princess for not including him in the Tin Suit mission but they understood that she didn’t want to hurt Cain by dealing with the Tin Suits in front of him. They all knew of his captivity in one for years.

“We are finishing the last village!” DG shouted.

“You promised you would listen to me on matters of security and defense.” Cain reminded her softly.

DG opened her mouth to argue and stopped herself from saying the words. She simply nodded and walked to her tent. She needed rest.

Cain watched DG disappear into her tent and knew he had said the wrong words. It hadn’t been trust in her eyes when she stopped her argument with him. She had given up and given in, resigned herself to his command. He knew what defeat looked like and her eyes had shown it before she had walked away.

 

 

In her tent, she let three tears fall before she wiped them away and closed her eyes. She needed to rest before she returned to the village and damned if she wasn’t going to return! She knew now it was just a battle of wills, but she was determined to win this battle.

 

As DG rested in her tent, Cain set about organizing a retreat back to the castle. He picked his scouts, had the rest start packing, and studied his maps and route he planned in his head. There was no way he was going to the next village with the shape the princess was in. And that was how he thought of her now, not DG but “the princess”. He’d make sure she was safe—from outside foes and herself. Once back at the castle, he’d do what he should have done almost a year ago: head back to Central City and the Tin Men.

 

 

 

Damnit! Why did he have to be the one to find the princess gone? The guard, Kolman, sighed. He did not want to be the one to tell Cain. _Maybe she went to the bathroom?_ He rolled his eyes. _Yeah right!_ And Cain would laugh when he told the man the princess wasn’t in her tent!

He made his way over to the fire where Cain sat.“Um, Cain?”

“Yes, Kolman?” Cain looked up at the guard.

“Princess DG does not seem to be in her tent.” He enunciated his words so there was no confusion as to what he was saying.

Cain stared at the man. He blinked twice before he was off the log he was sitting on and moving to DG’s tent. He would kill her himself.

“Um, sir? Cain?” Kolman spoke up from behind. He looked at his watch.

“WHAT?!” Cain yelled, coming out from the empty tent.

“Um, well, it has been three hours. Princess DG did promise she would be back at the village in three hours.” Kolman stated, looking down at the ground.

Cain took a deep breath and reminded himself that yelling at the guard wasn’t going to solve his problem. He scanned the camp and noticed at least three men missing. Those he could kill. He took two men with him and told the rest to continue with the packing.

 

 

DG smiled as Cain stood beside her. “Nice of you to join us, Cain.” And then she turned her attention back to the villagers and continued to hear their concerns.

 

 

Four hours and dinner later, Cain followed DG into her tent. “Security is my decision, princess. First, scheming behind my back, then lying to me and ordering my son to keep quiet on a covert operation that puts our primary objective at risk. Now you ditch out on your protection detail. I thought we had moved past that months ago.”

DG looked up at Cain. “I’m sorry but wasn’t my protection detail by my side in the village? I mean those were the men you ordered around me, were they not? And you never said I could not return to the village. I cannot help it if you change the plans and do not tell me. I was under the impression we would return to the village after three hours. Are we not continuing on to the last village? Is that something else you didn’t tell me?”

Her voice was sweet and calm. She kept the pain buried and the harshness she wanted to return at him out of her eyes and voice. She won her battle—he hadn’t dragged her out of the village—there was no sense in pushing it further.

Cain stared down at her, a scowl on his face. Some time, before her deceit, he would have been proud of this calm DG, because it showed she was growing and maturing. But right now, he was furious she was right: he hadn’t said she couldn’t go and she had taken her protection detail with her to the village. To keep her off balance, he asked to see the Tin Suit map.

DG’s eyes flared with shock a second before she turned to pull out the map. “Jeb picked up the other one near here and brought the one man and both suits back with him and Az.” Laying out the map, she looked at Cain. “There are two outside the last village and then, depending on the way we return, there can be up to five of the last seven to retrieve.”

Cain nodded. He didn’t agree with how or why she was doing this covert operation, riding the OZ of the Tin Suits, but he did see the value of getting people out of them and removing them. Another time, he might admit he had thought about it briefly before.

DG moved to lie down on her cot and let Cain study the map and make his decision on his own.

Cain turned to talk with DG and found her asleep on her cot. She looked utterly exhausted even in sleep. He extinguished the lanterns and left her alone. He knew their route and he would tell her in the morning.

 

DG heard him leave. She let the tears slip down. There had been a time he would have checked on her before he left. She wasn’t really sure she could handle his freeze-out of her. But at least now she had the final part to her memorial.

 

In the morning, she found she couldn’t stand. She closed her eyes as more tears fell. There was no way Cain was going to let her continue to the last village if she couldn’t put weight on her ankle.

“Princess?” Kolman stood outside her tent. Usually, DG was always one of the first out and working on breakfast. “Are you okay?”

“Kolman, can you get the Healer?” DG asked from inside her tent.

Kolman opened and closed his mouth in surprise before he started running, then calmed himself. He made the decision to just get the Healer and not alert Cain just yet. He knew—hell! everyone knew Cain was still pissed at the princess—no sense in giving him more ammunition against the princess. She had proven her worth to him and the rest of the guys as she treated them like people and pitched in with more than her share of the camp chores and dealing with the public who weren’t always kind to her.

DG had expected Kolman to bring Cain and the Healer, so she was grateful she only saw the Healer with Kolman. She smiled at the guard. “Thank you.”

Kolmon nodded. “We are headed to the last village.”

DG nodded. “Can you ask Cain to cut the visit in half? No sense in killing myself. We all know I’m not at the top of my game.”

Kolman stared at her. “What game, princess?”

DG laughed. “I meant I’m not feeling completely well.”

Kolman nodded. “I’ll go talk to Cain.” And he let the Healer help the princess.

Cain watched her from the opening of the tent. How had he let it get this far? That she’d rather be in pain than come to him or ask the men for the Healer until she couldn’t even stand. He caught sight of the Tin Suit map and he tensed. “Princess, we’ll spend three hours at the village while some of the men get the suits. Then we’ll start back along the route of two of the suits. We can’t take more than four of the suits with us with our supplies. It just wouldn’t be safe.”

DG nodded. She noted the formality was still in his tone but the harshness was not. He might not be furious with her but she knew he was closing her out still. That was evident in the fact that he didn’t come into the tent or ask her how she was. She might be able to live with that.

 

 

Her world shattered the morning after they returned to the castle. He was gone. She had startled awake, knowing something was wrong. The next three hours something felt off, people didn’t look her in the eye. It wasn’t until she ran into Jeb and he shook his head and walked away that she knew Cain had left.

Az and Raw found her leaning against the wall in one of the back halls that lead outside to the garden. They knew immediately she knew Cain was gone.

DG struggled to raise her head and meet their eyes. “Where did he go?”

“Tin Men. Central City.” Raw told her. “Raw sorry, DG. Mad. Still so mad.” He shook his head.

DG nodded. “I know. I thought he might have let some of it go on the journey back but he just did his job.”

“Oh, sis. I’m sorry.” Az hugged her younger sister.

DG straightened and shook her head as she let out a harsh laugh. “Why? Because I did what I set out to do? I almost have them all. There are only four more of them out there. And only three may have people in them. I’ll have Jeb send out details to secure the last three. In a few weeks, I’ll go retrieve the final one. The final one, I have a special use for that one. It isn’t going to be melted down for the playground.”

Raw eyed her. “What you plan?”

“Nope. That is my secret.” DG stated and moved away from the wall.

\--The End--

Yes, I am that evil.  
Yes, I already have a sequel.  
Yes, it will take me forever to post it because it has to go out to betas first.


End file.
